Current-motor.



A. JOHNSON.

CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1912.

, 1,049,724 Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

201737164434 djzuwfz'ot f ,4 04mm AARON JOHNSON, OF VALDEZ, DISTRICT OF ALASKA.

CURRENT-MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. '7, 1913.

Application filed May 14, 1912. Serial No. 697,321.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON J OHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Valdez, in the District of Alaska, have invented a certain new and useful Current Motor, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device for utilizing the force of swiftly moving waters and has for its object to provide a simple and effective current motor for obtaining from river currents the greatest available power in a constant and uniform manner.

Other objects will appear from the following specification.

In the drawing, Figure 1, is a front elevation of the device. Fig. 2, is a plan view. Fig. 3, is an enlarged detail showing one of the vanes on the cable, and means for mounting the vanes, and Fig. 4, is an enlarged front elevation of one of the vanes and the means for securing same to the cable.

Specifically referring to the drawing, 1, designates an endless cable, running over sheaves 2, disposed on opposite sides of a river and mounted on shafts 3, from which power from the flowing stream may be taken by a pulley 4. Said shafts 3, are journaled in suitable bearings 5, on foundations 6. On said cable are a plurality of members 7 and 8, consisting severally of two-part tubular portions 9 and 10, for encircling and fitting on said cable 1. 'These tubular portions 9 and 10, are each rabbeted, and provided with flanges 11 and 12, for bolts 13, by means of which the portions 9 and 10 may be securely locked on the cable. The said members 7 and 8, form pivots for knuckles 14 and 15, which severally compriseftwo sections 16 and 17 and 18 and 19, respectively, bolted together and fitting in the rabbets of the tubular portions 9 and 10. Pivotally mounted in ears 20 on said knuckles 14, are ribs 21, of supports 22, to which are fastened, by bolts 23, vanes 24. Said vanes 24, are held at a determined angle required for'obtaining the greatest efiiciency from the water, by chains 25, connected to the ends of thevanes and to the knuckles 15, pivotally mounted on the members 8. In order to maintain the relative positions of the vanes 24, as shown in Fig. 2, and to cause the endless cable to be steadily moved by all the vanes, their angularity with respect to each other must be changed, and this is accomplished by the inclined ways 26 and 27 mounted on the foundations 6 and in the path of the traveling vanes. the inclined ways, they are turned, and as theapex of such inclined ways is reached, turn completely over. Thus the water forces one set of vanes in one direction, and the other set in the opposite direction.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A current motor comprising an endless cable, a suitable mount therefor, members bolted on said cable, knuckles pivotally mounted on said members, vanes pivotally connected to said knuckles, chains fastened to the end of said vanes and connected with other pivotal knuckles on said cable to hold said vanes at a certain angle.

2. A current motor comprising an endless cable, sheaves over which said cable is run, a mount for said sheaves, a plurality of tubular members bolted on said cable, knuckles pivotally mounted on said members, supports pivotally connected with said knuckles, vanes fastened to said supports, chains connected with the ends of said vanes and to other pivotal knuckles on said cable, and

inclined ways on said mount to vary the angularity of said vanes.

In testimony whereof I affix my slgnature in the presence of two witnesses.

AARON JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

M. M. REESE, EDMUND SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. G.

Consequently as the vanes engage. 

